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In Class 12 Physics, this topic from Chapter 1, Electric Charges and Fields, explains how an electric dipole behaves when placed in a uniform external electric field. Students learn why the equal and opposite forces on the charges produce zero net force but a torque that tends to align the dipole with the field. They study the torque formula, equilibrium positions, stability, and the dipole’s potential energy, U = −p·E, using clear vector and physical interpretations.
TOPIC PRACTICE
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Up to 25 questions from this page. Select your focus, then start.
25 questions
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Easy · Level 6View options
The separation between the charges
The colour of the object
The direction of the field
Time
Easy · Level 6View options
Basic magnitude of charge
Orientation of dipole
Source of electric field
Name of dipole
Easy · Level 6View options
Twelve newton metre
Seven newton metre
Zero newton metre
One newton metre
Easy · Level 6View options
Eight newton metre
Five newton metre
Thirteen newton metre
Forty newton metre
Easy · Level 6View options
It doubles
It halves
It remains the same
It becomes four times
Easy · Level 6View options
Two times
Three times
Five times
Six times
Easy · Level 6View options
9 N m
18 N m
6 N m
0 N m
Easy · Level 6View options
16 N m
8 N m
0 N m
2 N m
Easy · Level 6View options
10 N m
20 N m
5 N m
0 N m
Easy · Level 6View options
14 N m
48 N m
6 N m
8 N m
Easy · Level 6View options
6 C m
5 C m
35 C m
150 C m
Easy · Level 6View options
4 N/C
9 N/C
27 N/C
45 N/C
Easy · Level 6View options
It decreases
It increases
It becomes infinite
It remains unchanged
Easy · Level 6View options
−pE/2
+pE/2
pE
0
Easy · Level 6View options
+6 J
−6 J
+12 J
0 J
Easy · Level 6View options
1/2
√3/2
1
0
Easy · Level 6View options
1/2
√3/2
1/4
0
Easy · Level 6View options
Minimum
Maximum
Zero
Infinite
Easy · Level 6View options
20 N m
9 N m
4 N m
0 N m
Easy · Level 6View options
21 N m
0 N m
7 N m
3 N m
Easy · Level 6View options
13 N m
8 N m
5 N m
40 N m
Easy · Level 6View options
30 J
−30 J
0 J
10 J
Easy · Level 6View options
First identify the direction and angle, then apply the torque or energy formula
Add all the numerical values directly
Always assume that the torque is zero
Always ignore the separation of the charges
Easy · Level 6View options
Maximum positive
Maximum negative
Zero
Infinite
Easy · Level 6View options
It becomes half
It becomes double
It becomes four times
It becomes zero
Question 1EasyLevel 6
If the charge magnitude remains constant, what should be increased to increase the dipole moment?
Correct answer: A
The magnitude of an electric dipole moment is p = qd, where q is the magnitude of either charge and d is the separation between the positive and negative charges. If q remains constant, p is directly proportional to d. Increasing the separation therefore increases the dipole moment in the same ratio. The field direction, object colour, and time do not appear in this definition. Thus option A is correct.
What does torque on a dipole in a uniform field change?
Correct answer: B
Torque is the turning effect produced by a force. For an electric dipole in a uniform field, the torque tends to rotate the dipole so that its dipole-moment vector changes direction relative to the field. It does not alter the magnitudes of the positive and negative charges, create the external field, or change the identity of the dipole. Therefore, option B is correct.
If dipole moment is four coulomb metre and field is three newton per coulomb and the dipole is parallel to the field what is the torque?
Correct answer: C
For a dipole in a uniform electric field, torque is τ = pE sinθ, where θ is the angle between the dipole moment and the field. Parallel alignment means θ = 0°, and sin0° = 0. Therefore τ = 4 × 3 × 0 = 0 N m. The nonzero product pE alone is not the torque; the sine factor is essential. Option C is correct.
Dipole moment is eight coulomb metre and field is five newton per coulomb. What is the maximum torque?
Correct answer: D
The torque magnitude is τ = pE sinθ. Its maximum value occurs when sinθ = 1, which means the dipole is perpendicular to the electric field at θ = 90°. Therefore τmax = pE = 8 × 5 = 40 N m. The other choices use one input, add the inputs, or omit the product, so option D is the only correct value.
If dipole moment equals the product of charge and separation, what happens when charge is doubled and separation is halved?
Correct answer: C
The magnitude of dipole moment is p = qd, where q is the magnitude of either charge and d is the separation. If q changes to 2q and d changes to d/2, the new moment is p′ = (2q)(d/2) = qd = p. Therefore the dipole moment remains unchanged. Options A, B, and D do not match the product of the two scale factors.
If charge becomes three times and separation becomes two times, how many times does dipole moment become?
Correct answer: D
Dipole moment magnitude is defined by p = qd. If the charge becomes 3q and the separation becomes 2d, the new value is p′ = (3q)(2d) = 6qd = 6p. Both changes multiply the original moment, so their factors must be multiplied rather than added. Hence the dipole moment becomes six times and option D is correct.
The dipole moment is 3 C m and the electric field is 6 N/C. If the angle is 90°, what is the torque?
Correct answer: B
For a dipole in a uniform electric field, the torque magnitude is τ = pE sin θ. Substituting p = 3 C m, E = 6 N/C, and θ = 90°, we get τ = 3 × 6 × sin 90° = 18 × 1 = 18 N m. Therefore option B is correct. Option A results from an incorrect multiplication, while C and D ignore the full product or the fact that sin 90° equals one.
The dipole moment is 8 C m and the electric field is 2 N/C. If the dipole is parallel to the field, what is the torque?
Correct answer: C
The torque on an electric dipole is τ = pE sin θ, where θ is the angle between the dipole moment and the electric field. For a parallel orientation, θ = 0° and sin 0° = 0. Hence τ = 8 × 2 × 0 = 0 N m, so option C is correct. The product pE would be 16 N m only for maximum torque, not for the parallel position.
The dipole moment is 5 C m and the electric field is 4 N/C. If the angle is 30°, what is the torque?
Correct answer: A
Using the governing equation τ = pE sin θ, substitute p = 5 C m, E = 4 N/C, and sin 30° = 1/2. Thus τ = 5 × 4 × 1/2 = 10 N m. Option A is correct. The value 20 N m in option B is pE without the angular factor, while C and D do not follow the required multiplication and sine dependence.
The dipole moment is 6 C m and the electric field is 8 N/C. What is the maximum torque?
Correct answer: B
The torque magnitude is τ = pE sin θ. Its maximum value occurs when sin θ = 1, which means θ = 90°. Therefore τmax = pE = 6 × 8 = 48 N m. Option B is correct. The value 14 is an addition, whereas options C and D merely repeat one of the supplied quantities and do not apply the maximum-torque relation.
If the maximum torque is 30 N m and the electric field is 5 N/C, what is the dipole moment?
Correct answer: A
For a dipole, the maximum torque is τmax = pE because sin 90° = 1. Rearranging gives p = τmax/E. With τmax = 30 N m and E = 5 N/C, p = 30/5 = 6 C m. Hence option A is correct. Option B confuses the field with the dipole moment, option C adds the values, and option D multiplies them instead of dividing.
If the maximum torque is 36 N m and the dipole moment is 9 C m, what is the electric field?
Correct answer: A
At maximum torque, τmax = pE because the dipole is perpendicular to the field and sin 90° = 1. Solving for the field gives E = τmax/p = 36/(9) = 4 N/C. Thus option A is correct. Option B uses p itself, while options C and D arise from subtraction or addition and do not satisfy the governing equation or units.
If a dipole is released from the antiparallel position and allowed to rotate freely to the parallel position, what happens to its potential energy?
Correct answer: A
For an electric dipole, U = −pE cos θ. At the antiparallel position, θ = 180° and U = +pE, which is the maximum potential energy. At the parallel position, θ = 0° and U = −pE, the minimum value. When released, the electric torque drives the dipole toward the stable parallel orientation, so its potential energy decreases. Option A is correct; it does not increase or remain constant during the rotation.
If the angle between the dipole moment and the electric field is 60°, what is the dipole's potential energy?
Correct answer: A
The potential energy of a dipole in a uniform electric field is U = −pE cos θ. For θ = 60°, cos 60° = 1/2. Substitution gives U = −pE(1/2) = −pE/2. Therefore option A is correct. The positive expression ignores the negative sign in the energy formula, pE corresponds to the antiparallel orientation, and zero applies only when the dipole is perpendicular to the field.
The angle between the dipole moment and the electric field is 60°. If p = 6 C m and E = 2 N/C, what is the potential energy?
Correct answer: B
Use the dipole-energy equation U = −pE cos θ. Here pE = (6)(2) = 12 J and cos 60° = 1/2. Thus U = −12 × 1/2 = −6 J. Option B is therefore correct. A positive 6 J results from missing the negative sign, 12 J would correspond to using cos θ = 1, and zero energy would require θ = 90°, not 60°.
When the angle between the dipole moment and the electric field is 30°, what fraction of the maximum torque acts on the dipole?
Correct answer: A
The torque on an electric dipole is τ = pE sin θ, while the maximum torque is τ_max = pE, reached at 90°. Hence τ/τ_max = sin θ. For θ = 30°, sin 30° = 1/2, so the torque is one-half of its maximum value. Option A is correct. √3/2 belongs to 60°, unity is the maximum itself, and zero occurs at 0° or 180°.
When the angle between the dipole moment and the electric field is 60°, what fraction of the maximum torque acts on the dipole?
Correct answer: B
For a dipole, τ = pE sin θ and τ_max = pE. Dividing these equations gives τ/τ_max = sin θ. At θ = 60°, sin 60° = √3/2, so the actual torque is √3/2 of the maximum torque. Therefore option B is correct. One-half is the value for 30°, one-fourth is not the required sine value, and zero applies at 0° or 180°.
When the torque on an electric dipole is maximum, what is the usual value of its potential energy?
Correct answer: C
The dipole torque is τ = pE sin θ and is maximum when θ = 90°. Its potential energy is U = −pE cos θ. Since cos 90° = 0, the potential energy at the maximum-torque orientation is U = 0, taking the usual zero reference used for this expression. Therefore option C is correct. Minimum and maximum energies occur at parallel and antiparallel orientations, where the torque is zero.
A dipole has moment 4 C m and is placed in an electric field of 5 N/C. What is the torque when the angle is 90°?
Correct answer: A
The governing relation is τ = pE sin θ, where p is the dipole moment and θ is the angle between the dipole moment and the electric field. Here p = 4 C m, E = 5 N/C, and sin 90° = 1. Thus τ = 4 × 5 × 1 = 20 N m. Option B would result from an incorrect operation, while option D applies only when the angle is 0° or 180°.
A dipole has moment 7 C m and is placed in an electric field of 3 N/C. What is its torque when the dipole is parallel to the field?
Correct answer: B
For a dipole in a uniform electric field, the torque is τ = pE sin θ. In the parallel position, the angle between the dipole moment and the field is θ = 0°, so sin 0° = 0. Hence τ = 7 × 3 × 0 = 0 N m. The product 21 N m would be the maximum value only if the angle were 90°, not when the dipole is parallel.
A dipole has moment 5 C m and is placed in an electric field of 8 N/C. What is its maximum torque?
Correct answer: D
The torque on a dipole is τ = pE sin θ. Its maximum value occurs when sin θ = 1, that is, at θ = 90°. Therefore τmax = pE = 5 × 8 = 40 N m. The values 13, 8, and 5 arise from addition or using only one given quantity; none includes the correct product pE at the maximizing angle.
A dipole has moment 10 C m and is placed in an electric field of 3 N/C. What is its potential energy in the perpendicular position?
Correct answer: C
The governing expression is U = −pE cos θ. For the perpendicular position, θ = 90° and cos 90° = 0. Consequently, U = −(10)(3)(0) = 0 J. The values +30 J and −30 J correspond to the opposite and parallel orientations, respectively, while 10 J does not follow from the energy relation. Thus option C is the only consistent answer.
What is the best order for solving problems about a dipole placed in a uniform external electric field?
Correct answer: A
The governing relations are torque τ = pE sin θ and potential energy U = −pE cos θ, where p points from the negative charge to the positive charge. Thus, first establish the dipole direction and the angle with the field, then select the required relation and substitute values with units. Option A is correct; the other choices ignore the physical setup or use no valid solving method.
If the angle between the dipole moment and the uniform electric field is ninety degrees, what is the potential energy?
Correct answer: C
The potential energy of an electric dipole in a uniform field is U = −pE cos θ. For θ = 90°, cos 90° = 0, so U = −pE × 0 = 0. Therefore option C is correct. It is not the maximum positive or negative value: those occur at 180° and 0°, respectively. The result assumes the usual reference for dipole potential energy in a uniform field.
If the uniform electric field is doubled while the angle remains the same, how does the torque on the dipole change?
Correct answer: B
The magnitude of torque on an electric dipole in a uniform field is τ = pE sin θ. If the dipole moment p and angle θ remain unchanged, torque is directly proportional to the field E. Replacing E by 2E gives τ′ = p(2E)sinθ = 2τ. Therefore, the torque doubles; it does not become half, four times, or zero.
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